Saturday, May 20, 2017

Character

Choose Character

Pray
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering

Definitions – character

1. The sum of our traits that we are known by.

Reputation – How you are known
Faithfulness
Character is the total of what makes us up, or the “whole”. Integrity is the parts and pieces that make up the “whole” – We are going to talk about both. Many times the two are used interchangeably, but keep in mind the differences.

1. The milk of the Word vs. the meat of the Word

The milk is what Jesus or the Kingdom of God will do for you. – (Heb 5:12)

a) salvation

b) hope and comfort in troubled times

c) healing – physical, emotional

(all are benefits of Jesus’ work at The Cross or Atonement)

The meat of the Word is what you do for The Kingdom

Hebrews 5:12 (NIV)
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

a) baby food

2) James 2 : 8 (Mess) I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove

Show your faith – God expects it, from ourselves, show to family and friends benefit

an example - practical Christianity / meat of The Word
God does the supernatural – all miracles of past, present, and future – Jesus, conquering Love, re-establishing His Kingdom and making us part of it.
He expects us to do the natural (because of our faith – IN HIM) to show His Love to others – Shows Him to others (family, those around us) – perhaps we are the only God that person will see!

3) Character of God

a) Isaiah 11:5

5 Righteousness will be his belt
and faithfulness the sash around his waist

note: faithfulness one of the deffs. Of character

1 Thessalonians 5:24

The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

c) Deuteronomy 7:9

9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands

The Word says to “Be like Him” – 1 John 3:2

Kids want to be like their father – they naturally emulate their parents

We are made in His image, since He is of character and it is a trait that we all can and should develop, He expects us to be of character for our own good as well as everyone we come in contact with.

4) Characteristics Traits Of The Saints

a) Bible says anyone who is saved is a saint. – We ARE people of character

There are many character traits we can identify
- Blameless
- Bold
- Faithful
- Just
- Godly
- Humble
- Attentive to Christ’s voice - John 10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
- Prudent - Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart will be called prudent,
  And sweetness of the lips increases learning.
- If we are saved The traits are in us – Romans 12:3 – up to us to develop them by exercising and using.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

The Example We Set

Example –noun

1.	one of a number of things, or a part of something, taken to show the character of the whole: This painting is an example of his early work.

2.	a pattern or model, as of something to be imitated or avoided: to set a good example.

3.	an instance serving for illustration; specimen: The case histories gave carefully detailed examples of this disease.

4.	an instance illustrating a rule or method, as a mathematical problem proposed for solution.

5.	an instance, esp. of punishment, serving as a warning to others: Public executions were meant to be examples to the populace.

6.	a precedent; parallel case: an action without example.

–verb (used with object)

7.	Rare. to give or be an example of; exemplify (used in the passive).

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME exa(u)mple < MF example < L exemplum, akin to eximere to take out (ex- ex-¹ + emere to buy, orig. take); r. ME exemple < L, as above

] —Synonyms 1. Example, sample, specimen refer to an individual phenomenon taken as representative of a type, or to a part representative of the whole. Example is used of an object, condition, etc., that is assumed to illustrate a certain principle or standard: a good example of baroque architecture. Sample refers to a small portion of a substance or to a single representative of a group or type that is intended to show what the rest of the substance or the group is like: a sample of yarn. Specimen usually suggests that the “sample” chosen is intended to serve a scientific or technical purpose: a blood specimen;

Greek

deiÛgma

from the base of (1166)

1. a thing shown

a specimen of any thing, example, pattern

Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

This verse tells us Jesus is exact image of God – He is God that we can see – “if you have seen Me, you have seen God”-Jn 14:6

Jesus is our example –

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ

Jesus fulfilled every one of these offices – note the word edify /Word only builds up –
That is how God treats His Kids – that is the example He sets for us

Every account in Word is there to give us answers, build us up and to set an example. Mat 17:24-26 shows us is an example of submitting to authority weather we agree or not – that is what God calls doing right “just because”

24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the tax collectors for the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, "Doesn't your teacher pay the Temple tax?"

25 "Of course he does," Peter replied. Then he went into the house to talk to Jesus about it.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, "What do you think, Peter*? Do kings tax their own people or the foreigners they have conquered?"

26 "They tax the foreigners," Peter replied.

"Well, then," Jesus said, "the citizens are free! 27 However, we don't want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a coin. Take the coin and pay the tax for both of us."

Mat 20:28

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

Jn 13-17

13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

In Paul’s 1^st letter to Timothy he cites The Lord’s mercy and example to us all:

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Examples to set (set for):

Our children – Godly , do the right thing always (do right just because it’s right) God wants you to do this because good for us – what comes around, goes around.

Eph 6:4

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

.family

believers and non believers – there watching you.

1 Tim 4:12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an

example

Always build up
Don’t do things that are OK but don’t help or non-believers and many believers don’t understand - remember:

1 Cor 6:12 says - All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Set The Example - Do the right thing on purpose – just because it is the right thing to do!

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Job vs. Psalms

Contrast between Job / Psalms

Pray

Job wealthy and feared God – Bible says complete integrity (Job 1:1-12)

Satan tries to drive wedge btwn Job / God – convinces God to allow

Tests. (I’m always amazed at the access that Satan seems to have to The God Of The Universe. [remember, God is perfect, everything about Him is legal and organized because of His perfection] - supiror)

Story progresses – Job loses: family’, possessions, health

people that knew him are convinced that through sin, he brought this on himself
his wife in essence tells him he may as well “end it”

4 friends come to talk – Job didn’t talk for days

Friends just sat with him – (sometimes we don’t have to say anything to someone hurting. Just being there is what they need?)

when they finally could talk to him tried to convince him to repent – his bad fortune caused by God punishing unrepented sin.

God rebukes Jobs friend for thinking he had something to do with this – good in us always about Him ~ bag always about us or Satan.

Job makes the case that he is righteous toward God and better than the unrighteous.

Job not so concerned about what he’d lost, but why he lost it.

Job asks God, “why” - (God never answers that question – they want argument not answer)

God, then rebukes Job tells him don’t worry about it I Am Sovereign – what I say goes – tells Job whats what. 38:1- 41:34
Job is restored (chapter 42)

lessons Job learned

God is sovereign – ALL AUTHORITY
Bad things will happen to good people – Gen 3, Satan (always testing, hates God and His people, Satan has limitations)
not that bad things wont happen, how we act when bad things happen – God want us to rely on Him alone.
God then fairness…not fairness then God
- Even though Job, as well as his friends had the wrong theology (God causes hardship and bad things to happen to "punish or to teach lessons" to people) Job none the less proves he got the point when he didn't reject God when his own (incorrect) theology told him to (Paraphrased from Gregory A. Boyd's Is God To Blame ? - pp 94).

Psalms are praise, laments, some wisdom (proverbs) all over the place. Not one story…a collection of conversations from the hart.

Written mostly through David and son Solomon

All Psalms put God first – acknowledge His Sovereignty

They never ask “why me, I’m a good guy”

Job asks until God sets him straight, “I’m righteous, why me?” – ignore God’s Sovereignty

Psalms always seem to say “you are God, WHY NOT ME?”

Psalms will ask for help – in doing so acknowledge God is only help

Ask class to draw conclusions btwn Job and Psalms

Friday, April 21, 2017

God's Word: The Power Unto Salvation

Pray
Text - Rom 1:16 : For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,^[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.& 1:14, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth - (Who Word is)

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. & Romans 10:9-10 ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation - (promises salvation)

The Word – Jesus – God gave us Words to live by
They are only words if Jesus not God (to us) – lower case
If Jesus IS God to us, they are upper case – The power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

- As soon as He is God to me and you, then His Words are what they are meant to be – Life

Duet. 30:19 , Josh 1:8, 14:6, John 14:21 - When you and I choose to do what God tells us to do (esteem His Word), He can be Way to Salvation – we can have good success.

Duet. 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;, Josh 1:8, This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. John 14:21 - He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

His Kingdom can (and will, with or without you and me) be re-established – where? (in your heart) – He wants you and I to be integral parts of His Kingdom!

When and only when we choose to be a part of His Kingdom, can we rely on the Word being THE POWER TO SALVATION!

Friday, July 8, 2016

God On Earth (The Light Of The World)

Pray
Text – John 1 1-14

The Word Became Flesh

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2He was with God in the beginning.

3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

4In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood^[^a^] it.

6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.

7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.

8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.^[^b^]

10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.

11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

13children born not of natural descent,^[^c^] nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,^[^d^] who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Takes more faith not to believe than to believe when you consider:

Word of God written 66 books written by 40 people (2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness) – The Bible agrees with itself – from cover to cover
- In this day and age with fax and email I doubt if we could get 20 of our friends to totally agree on any one point let alone hundreds.
The odds of the prophesy in The Bible that have been fulfilled the are about 17,000,000 to 1.

The odds of unfulfilled prophesy in The Bible coming true are exponentially higher.

History has proven – Hittite Empire - (mentioned only in Bible) A Hittite city has been uncovered by archeologist.
Countless ruins and archeological discoveries confirm places and events mentioned in Bible

Jhn 1:8,9; Jhn 8:12; Jhn 9:5; Jhn 12:35,46; Psa 84:11; Isa 35:4,5; Isa 42:6,7,16; Psa 49:6; Psa 60:1-3; Mal 4:2; Mat 4:16; Luk 1:78,79; Luk 2:32; Act 26:23; Eph 5:14; 1Jo 1:5-7; Rev 22:16

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Ministry Of The Holy Spirit

Pray
PD

Text verse – Heb. 11:6

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

From this verse we see an important premise established: As long as we go to the Word in faith, believe He is who He says He Is, and seek Him (study in truth) we will please God. He then tells us He will reward us. He then rewards us with his presence (Jesus said: ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find).

Before Christ started His Ministry, John The Baptist’s calling was to make straight the way of the Lord. – John 1:22-23, Is 40:3

Now it is The Holy Spirit’s ministry to bear witness of Him 1 John 5:7-8, John 15:26 and to give believers power and ability to witness to others thus spreading the church. Acts 1:8

Leads us into all righteousness – John16:13 – The Holy Spirit’s main ministry is to get ALL people saved.

Preach the Good News (Mark16: 15)– Christ crucified is The Good News (man reconciled back to God [Isa. 61]) 1 Cor. 1:23 (Christ crucified), Mark 16 14:18,

Gal 2:20 (I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.), Rom.1:16 (For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.)

God’s intentions toward us
1. Why did God establish the earth and create man? (Class discussion)
2. Relationship
3. Fatherhood / mentor

Holy Spirit of OT

Part of Godhead – God The Father, God The Son, God The Holy Spirit - Gen 1:1, 1:26 – Job 3:4
God created man and gave him His Spirit – Gen2:7, 1 Cor. 6:19
Spirit of God – Came to kings and prophets (wasn’t there all the time – only when God wanted to act specifically.)

Holy Spirit of NT

The seed of God (re-establishing lost Kingdom) could NOT come through sinful man.
Scripture records account of god coming to earth by way of the Holy Spirit -

John prob. only person who has actually (through spiritual eyes) seen the Godhead

(God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit)

Luke 3:22 – Holt Spirit “like a dove” doesn’t mean He is one. He is a distinct person.

Every one has heard phrases like

“strong as an ox”

“ran like the wind” – that doesn’t mean they are an ox or the wind

Jesus is telling disciples of His crucifixion, tells them He is sending Holy Spirit –

John 14:14 –18

They are distraught Jesus says He has much to tell them but they can’t bear it all at once

-Then in chapter 16: 7– 8 He makes an amazing statement – He says: believe me.

Remember: they had been with Him for 3 years
He hadn’t lied to them yet
Everything He said was going to happen, happened
they had seen many miracles
They knew who He was – He (Jesus) was God

Jesus says Believe Me … I’m not kidding …you’ll do greater things than what you have seen me do because of the Holy Spirit that I promise to send once I leave you.

We know from Word That The Holy Spirit -

Has mind Rom 8:27
a will and emotions -1 Cor 12:11
He speaks - Heb3:7
Give believers power to be witnesses, in fact He told the disciples not to leave Jerusalem until He (The Holy Spirit) came – Acts 1:4 – 1:8
Give us prophesy - 2 Peter 1:21, 1 Cor. 12
Inspired men & gave us the words God would call scripture – 1 Tim. 3:16
Helps us to do the Word – 1 peter 3:22
Gives people power to act in God’s sovereign purposes – 1 Cor. 12
Guides us in prayer – Rom 8:28
Gives us wisdom & tells us what to say when we need it – lk12:2

- You can see that this list is endless (infinite) like God. It is clear from the Bible God is Three persons that make One God. How God is dealing with mankind or His Universal Church is a matter of which One is manifest on earth at the time.

- Any character trait of one part of Godhead is true of all – Matt 12:25

The present day Jews as well as in ancient time Jews (non-believing) can’t get into relationship with God – they reject or rejected Jesus (don’t present day Jews notice no Spirit Of God? And thus something wrong?)

I am saying that if we are going to draw near to God and thus let Him draw near to us (James 4:8) we as Christian have got to not only recognize but rely on The Holy Spirit’s ministry to us and for us. Jesus said He and The Holy Spirit only speak what God The Father speaks – John 5:30, John 16:13.

The only way to Draw Nigh to God is in Spirit and Truth!

Pray
PD